Healthy Skepticism Library item: 20144

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Magazine

Hall S
Direct drug advertising opposed
Australian Doctor 2000 Nov 17

Full text:

Drug companies have insisted they should be able to advertise and provide product information directly to consumers but GPs and the government say this would lead to more adverse reactions and threaten the doctor-patient relationship.

The Australian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (APMA) has made a submission to the review of the drugs, poisons and controlled substances legislation after a draft review recommended against direct advertising to consumers last month.

Speaking to Australian Doctor, the APMA said drug companies wished to meet consumer’s demands for drug information, which was demonstrated by the Internet’s popularity.

APMA business administration director Fiona Woodard said the industry wanted to provide information more freely to patients rather than begin major advertising campaigns.

“We want to inform consumers about what is available… by whatever medium is appropriate and to give information in a responsible and non-promotional way to consumers”, she said.

She said the pharmaceutical companies were in the best position to provide patients with information about their drugs because they knew the most about their products.

However, legislation review chairwoman, Rhonda Galbally, said in the draft report that lifting the ban could result in an increase in adverse reactions, leading to additional medical costs.

But there could be merit in case-by-case exemptions for drug advertisements if they were part of an educational campaign, she said.

AMA president, Dr Kerryn Phelp, said the association was strongly opposed to the APMA’s proposals, claiming it would not have any benefits to the patient and would impede on the doctor-patient relationship.

Dr Phelps dismissed the APMA’s claim that patients needed more drug information in order to be better informed, saying it was highly possible that patients would request inappropriate medications if they were subjected to glossy marketing campaigns.

“It’s ludicrous. There is plenty of generic information available”, she said.

RACGP president Dr Paul Hemming said he would be cautious about advertising or providing drug information directly to patients as choosing the right medication could depend on their age, size or whether they were on any other medication.

“Taking the advertising of medications out of the context of patient care could be very risky indeed”, he said.